Half
by gtgrandom
Summary: A new superhero arrives in Paris and befriends Chat Noir, but Ladybug is suspicious. Not jealous. Obviously.
1. Chapter 1

**Don't look at me like that...you're here for the same reason. Here's a story about these infectious cuties.**

* * *

"Well done, My Lady," Chat Noir marveled as Ladybug returned the world to its prior state of entropy.

"You too, kitty," she grinned, and they bumped their fists.

It was the same routine as always. Fight. Win. Go home, live their separate, disjoint lives.

"You know," Chat began, snatching her wrist and placing a quick kiss on her knuckles. "We finished pretty quick. Would my Lady care to join me for a late dinner on this beautiful Paris evening?"

Ladybug retracted her hand, and a sadness swept over her azure eyes. "Chat…"

"What? It would be purely platonic."

She giggled softly. "There's nothing platonic about you."

"That's not true!" he complained, keeping his classic smile, though it felt a little tight. "We're partners after all."

The crowd had grown, and they were demanding pictures, smiles, a recount of the fight.

Ladybug waved, walking backwards, and Chat knew she was departing. He understood her body language. He understood 'no'.

"We should keep our personal lives separate, Chat. You know that."

"Do I?" he persisted. "Just us, hanging out as our alter egos? Is that still personal?"

She hesitated, but he knew he couldn't keep her there. She was true to her name—a ladybug spreading her wings for flight.

"Too personal for me."

And she was gone, followed by cheers from the citizens and a forlorn look on her partner's face.

* * *

OoO

* * *

"You've got it bad, kid," Plagg chuckled.

Adrien sat on his too big of a bed in his too big of a room. He was in love. He knew it, and he also knew it was unreciprocated. He knew that Ladybug loved him in the sense that he was her friend, her partner in crime, someone she needed.

But he wasn't someone she wanted.

Meanwhile he was tearing his hair out over her smiles and her teasing and the way she looked in that uniform—

What a mess.

"Why do I even feel this way? She doesn't want me around!" he complained, and he fell back, closing his eyes.

The kwami swirled around Adrien's face and landed on his forehead. "Don't be stupid. We both know that's not true."

Adrien wasn't so sure. He wondered if she could know him as Adrien, if she'd like him better. They were complete opposites after all. As Chat, he was witty, exciting, adventurous, funny (at least he liked to think so), and so brave. But as Adrien, he was just blah. Blah, blah, blah. On his father's leash, he couldn't so much as cough out of turn.

He couldn't be who he wanted to be as himself…if that made sense. Adrien was his mask.

So even if Ladybug liked him more that way, would it even matter? It still wouldn't be him, not all of him.

"I'm giving up on her, Plagg."

"You don't want to do that."

"No," he conceded. "I need to."

* * *

OoO

* * *

"Woah, Adrien, buddy. You look like someone gave you a puppy and then took it back."

There was Nino for you—always trying to fish for a grin.

It usually worked, or at least, Adrien would humor him, but not today.

"Why so glum, dude?"

"I don't want to talk about it," Adrien sighed. He moved to open the door, but a slightly shorter, ebony haired girl reached out at the same time.

Marinette. He almost hadn't seen her.

She stepped back awkwardly. "Oh, uhhhh, hi Adrien!"

He smiled his fake smile, and they both stared at the door, waiting for the other to move.

Adrien sighed, chuckling to himself, and pulled the door back, nodding for her to go in first.

She blushed to her roots and stammered a thank you, then proceeded to _sprint_ to her seat.

Man she had a lot of energy. It was kind of cute, he supposed.

Now that he was _officially_ over his lady—er, Ladybug—he could stop and notice other girls.

As he took a seat, he glanced back at the students in his class, most of whom he'd never considered as girlfriend material, considering he'd been loyal to someone else.

But the range of faces did nothing for him. Sure there was Chloe, his last resort, his crutch, but he didn't want to get muddled in her drama. The only one who shone bright enough was Marinette. As soon as they made eye contact, however, it was like she'd been electrocuted. She spazzed out and then face planted on her desk, possibly dead? Alya patted her back.

Okay….?

He didn't understand why she acted like that around him. Had he done something to make her uncomfortable? Then again, he _was_ boring old Adrien.

Figures. She'd been perfectly fine around him as Chat Noir.

In fact, her personality was infectious, and he'd realized there was so much more to her besides 'fashion designer' and 'spaz'.

She was cute, but surprisingly witty and brave. And sarcastic.

Adrien glanced at her again, and she was forcing Alya to stifle laughter, making exaggerated movements with her hands.

Maybe he should pay her a proper visit.

* * *

OoO

* * *

Marinette was still fantasizing about Adrien on her way home. He'd looked so sad today, not in a particularly obvious way, but enough so that those who paid attention could tell.

Then he'd looked back at her, at **_her_** , thoughtful, contemplative, and she'd lost it.

She was such a loser!

She rolled her eyes at herself and marched upstairs, flinging off her backpack. The trek back from school had left her overheated, so she began shrugging off her sweater when she heard someone clear his throat, quite urgently.

She whipped around, yanking her shirt back down to cover her stomach.

"Chat?!" she nearly shrieked.

The superhero was red in the face, and the least suave she'd ever had the pleasure to see him.

"Princess," he finally got out, leaning against her wall.

"What are you doing here?" she sighed.

He seemed surprised at her bluntness, but then he strode in from her terrace, hands behind his back.

"Checking in," he supplied, observing her decorations. He paused when he reached her dresser, and Marinette crossed her arms.

He turned to her, ecstatic. "Who's that?"

She followed his pointer finger to her computer, where Adrien's face was pasted across its entire surface.

She crossed her arms to hide her humiliation. "None of your business."

He was smiling too wide now, strutting closer to her. "Has my princess found another prince?" he purred.

She blushed at his proximity. "Jealous?"

"Maybe," he admitted, and she glared, stepping back.

"What about your precious Ladybug?"

The mention of her alter ego sent a jab of pain across his face, and she frowned. That was strange.

Chat shrugged. "She's not mine anymore."

Marinette's frown deepened. She tilted her head. "What…do you mean?"

"Have you ever experienced unreciprocated love?"

Yes, she thought, her mind zeroing in on Adrien. But then her head exploded.

LOVE?

"You…. _love_ Ladybug?"

He looked at her, detached, broken. "Yeah. But I'm letting her go."

She couldn't. She couldn't.

"Why?" was all she _could_.

"I've loved her for so long, and she'll never feel the same. She doesn't even want to be friends. Just partners."

"Chat…" she breathed, sitting down, her heart too heavy. She'd known he had feelings for her, but she'd pushed them aside for multiple reasons. Partly because she'd also known he was a flirt. She'd never realized he'd actually…loved her. "I'm sure that's not true."

"That's why I'm here," he whispered.

She snapped her head up at him, and she felt her eyes water without permission.

No.

No. She couldn't break his heart twice.

"Not like that!" he assured her, crouching down in front of her, his hands resting on either side of her knees. "I just…I need someone to talk to. Despite my charming good looks, I'm quite lonely, you know."

She rolled her swimming eyes.

"So…will you be my friend, Princess?" he asked, eyes so green and fragile.

"Silly Kitty," she said softly. "I already am."

* * *

OoO

* * *

She watched Chat Noir leap from the girl's terrace and grimaced.

Why…why was he in some girl's bedroom? She felt tears prickle in her eyes, but then she reminded herself that Chat Noir hardly knew she existed. She shouldn't be jealous.

Even though she was.

She still remembered that day he'd saved her—tackled her to the ground, saving her from being crushed. He'd pulled her to safety, he'd told her that everything would be okay.

She'd fallen for him hard. How could she not? He was gorgeous. He was funny. He was brave, and kind, and heroic.

She wanted him for herself.

A voice, like wind, reached her ears, and her world turned a purple hue. "Then take him."


	2. Chapter 2

She hated having Chat on her mind, but how was she supposed to just…forget the fact that he loved her? All the times he'd risked his life to protect her flew to the front of her brain, all the smiles, and oh God the relentless flirting. He'd actually…meant it. All of it.

"Marinette!"

She jumped back into the present. She was in class. Alya was staring at her, and so were Nino and... Adrien.

"Wh-what?"

"Are you high?" Nino laughed.

She shook her head, too fast, back and forth. "No I'm…I'm sorry were you saying something?"

Alya crossed her arms. "Girl, you never listen to anybody. You're always off in your own world."

"Nah, Adrien's the worst. I'll be talking him for ten minutes before I realize he's off in la la land. Probably fantasizing about Ladybug or something," Nino snickered.

Adrien blushed, and Marinette smiled. "You're um, a Ladybug fan?"

His eyes flickered with amusement, and he shrugged. "I was."

Ouch.

She was about to ask him to elaborate, but the bell rang, shredding their conversation.

* * *

OoO

* * *

Marinette landed on the roof, surprised to find Chat already battling their new akumatized opponent. It was her schoolmate, Johnathan. And he carried one large eraser, in the shape of a sword.

"What's the prognosis?" she asked as she positioned herself next to Chat.

"Johnny Boy got dumped, now he's erasing everything in his path like a lunatic."

"Erasing?"

"Don't bother throwing anything at him. And don't get too close. The victims are all…gone."

Ladybug shuddered, looking from Chat to the boy back to Chat. Had she heard him wrong, or…no puns?

"Are you…doing okay?" she tried.

Chat looked at her, startled, and then shrugged. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"I just…"

"Come on," he interrupted, running after their target.

 _Right. Focus._

"You want to erase me from your life? Fine! But I'm taking everything with me!" Johnathan yelled.

He leapt to the ground, using his weapon to dissolve the world around him. The trees, the outdoor lunch tables, everything was popping out of existence.

Ladybug followed but remained at a distance, analyzing the situation. How could she get close enough to disarm him without disappearing? The akuma had to be inside the eraser, but if she touched it, she'd be erased.

Chat pounced after the villain, and she felt herself inhale sharply. "Be careful!"

He ignored her and circled Johnathan, keeping him occupied while she developed a plan. She knew he could take care of himself, but still. The idea of Chat completely disappearing? It scared her.

Just as the perfect idea occurred to her, an invisible force knocked her over. After she regained her senses, she glanced at the other two to find them both sprawled flat on their backs.

Before them stood a girl in dark navy Kevlar and spandex, blond hair flowing from her head. She sauntered up to Johnathan's squirming form and raised her hand, a strange kind of wave emanating from her palm.

The wave met the eraser, and the weapon shattered into rounded fragments, releasing the black butterfly.

Quickly, Ladybug snatched the akuma and cleansed the world with her miraculous power.

When objects and people reappeared, and Johnathan was reverted to his confused self, she turned to the girl clad in superhero clothing.

"Who are you?" she asked, and she felt Chat's presence behind her.

"Ah, well, I'm like you two," the girl replied.

"You're…like _us_?" Chat asked, but he sounded thrilled.

The girl nodded. "The name's Wavelength."

Ladybug didn't understand. "Wait…how are you like us? You have a kwami too?"

She hesitated. "Not exactly. But I'm here to protect Paris, just like you. I'm a big fan of your work."

It was then that Ladybug realized the girl wasn't even glancing in her direction. Wavelength was focused entirely on Chat.

"That's awesome!" Chat exclaimed. "We've got another superhero? That's purrfect."

Ladybug elbowed him, and he grunted. At least he was back to making awful puns.

"Thanks for your help," she told the stranger politely, but there was something pestering in her gut. There was something wrong about the gleam in the girl's eye, or the way she kept staring at her partner, transfixed, hungry.

"Anytime."

"If you'll excuse us for a moment," Ladybug said, and she dragged Chat away.

"Something's fishy," she said, once they were out of earshot.

"I think it's cool. We needed help, and she delivered. It doesn't matter who she is, does it?"

"Of course it does! How could someone suddenly pop up out of nowhere with miraculous-like capabilities?"

"Maybe she's been here and we just haven't noticed."

Ladybug looked back at Wavelength, who was tending to Johnathan, seemingly normal.

"Something feels off about her."

"You don't even know her."

"I don't even know you, but I still trust you."

"Do you?" he said darkly, and when she frowned at him he shook his head dismissively. "Look, she seems nice enough. We shouldn't label her as suspicious until we know more about her."

"Chat," Ladybug said, snatching his wrist before he could walk away. "I….I'm sorry about what I said the other day. It's just…"

"You don't have to explain yourself to me, Ladybug," he said, and the missing term of endearment sent an ache through her. "We're partners. Nothing more. Nothing less."

"Chat, that's not fair. I never said I didn't want to be fr—"

"You're right, I'm sorry. " He gently removed her hand. "But you're too quick to judge. Give her a chance."

And he walked away to greet the newbie.

* * *

OoO

* * *

"That was really clever," Chat said, "The way you destroyed that weapon."

Wavelength blushed. "It was nothing. Nothing compared to what you and Ladybug are capable of."

"That's not true! We've just had loads of practice," he said, leaning against a chimney. Years of it, actually. "How long have you been doing this, exactly?"

Chat couldn't help his curiosity. She was kind, humble, and smart. But most of all, she was open.

"Oh…I," she scratched her neck. "This week?"

"Haaaah?" he cried. "So you're seriously brand new?"

She nodded. "I mean, having this power, I knew I had to start using it to help people. And I had to start sometime, so I just…went for it."

Chat stared at her. "That's…reckless."

She paled, and he backtracked. "No, I'm sorry, it's just…you should train more before you put yourself out there. It's dangerous. I don't want you to get hurt."

She brightened at that, and her smile warmed something in Chat's heart. Ladybug never smiled at him like that.

"Maybe you could teach me properly," she offered. "Help me become a better hero."

He grinned his sly grin and bowed at her. "I'm at your service, Blondie."

She laughed at the nickname.

Something beeped, and Chat's expression dwindled. "Ah, that's my cue. I've got to go. But I'll see you around, yeah?"

"Definitely. _Wave_ goodbye, Kitty."

Chat smiled appreciatively at the pun and gave her a little wave before darting off.

* * *

OoO

* * *

She watched him disappear over the rooftop, along with her smile.

She turned, hopping off the roof into the alleyway.

 _What are you doing?_

"It won't work with your method. You've tried countless times, and failed," she hissed at the voice.

 _But the Miraculous…_

"Let me do this my way, the slow way, and I can promise you a lot more than some stupid earrings."

* * *

OoO

* * *

She ran, hoping Chat was all right. She'd been having a family dinner, and escaping to her bedroom had not been the easiest of tasks.

"I'm on my way!" she spoke into her communicator hurriedly, jumping over rooftops, flipping, leaping.

She crashed into the store, expecting havoc.

She did not expect Chat to be sitting on the checkout counter, laughing at something Wavelength had said.

She scowled.

"What's going on here, Chat?"

"Ladybug! You missed all the fun!"

"Where's the akuma?" she demanded.

Chat's face pinched and he looked at Wavelength. The girl sighed. "About that. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to, but…"

She nodded towards the nearest aisle, and Ladybug could just make out a splotch on the ground.

The butterfly…it was dead.

Ladyblug blinked, then narrowed her eyes, whirling on the new girl. "You killed it?"

Wavelength flinched. "I didn't mean to! The victim was about to turn Chat into a pile of vegetables! I panicked, and when I blasted his name tag…the akuma died…I'm so sorry."

"It's not your fault. You just underestimated your powers," Chat said calmly.

Ladybug stared at the black smudge on the ground. For some reason the image terrified her, and she almost felt like crying. It was only a butterfly—yet she felt a part of her shatter inside at what she'd failed to protect, to rescue. Was that an omen?

"At least the akuma was the only thing harmed. We managed to evacuate the store before we had a new produce section," Chat chuckled.

Ladybug glared at him, and he blinked.

"Why didn't you wait for me?" she asked curtly.

"I had Wavelength's help. And we took care of it."

"I thought we had a system, Chat. Just because someone new shows up doesn't mean we can throw the rules out the window."

"Hey, Wavelength is part of the group now! We can't—"

"Who decided that? You? I thought we were partners!" Ladybug pretended not to notice that her voice wavered at the end.

Chat glanced at Wavelength's downcast face, then at Ladybug. "We need to talk. Alone."

"Agreed."

* * *

OoO

* * *

"You've been training her?" she asked incredulously. She didn't know why, but she felt betrayed.

"Yeah! She has destructive powers, just like mine. I'm showing her how to control it. And I've been letting her in on our routine. How things work, our roles, the whole thing."

Ladybug felt her heart quicken suddenly, pushing, like it couldn't keep up. "Chat…I understand that you want to help her, but we can't just start over. It's taken us years to communicate the way we do, to stop the akumas. We can't just adopt her into our team! Especially when we know so little about her."

Their dynamic, she could see it disintegrating before her eyes. Everything they'd worked so hard towards.

Chat crossed his arms. He was _pouting_. "Maybe if you actually spent time with her you'd see that she's like you and me. She wants to help. That should be the only criteria."

"Is this all because of the other day?" she shouted. "Because you've been acting weird ever since."

He gaped at her, then his green eyes flickered with annoyance. "It's not because of anything! It's the right thing to do, but you just want to ignore her! I don't know why you're so threatened! She can help us, Ladybug!"

They were both getting too emotional, and Ladybug wasn't sure why. It was a simple conversation, but they'd blown it up into this huge ordeal.

 _He's hurting_ , she reminded herself. _He's hurting and you're just making it worse._

She sighed, unclenching her hands. She had to be the rational one here. She had to compromise, or she might lose him for good. Damn cat.

"Fine," she said, and Chat looked up, smiling. She raised her hand at him before he got too excited. "But she needs more practice. And I want to see how she works, how she cooperates with both of us. Next time wait for me before you save the day…It's my favorite part, after all."

She grinned at him, and he bowed his head at her, grateful.

* * *

OoO

* * *

Marinette dried her hair a little too aggressively.

"I met this new girl," Chat said.

"Oh?" she tried not to sound skeptical.

"Yeah. She's cool. She's got superpowers as well."

"That's nice."

He collapsed onto her bed, making himself comfortable, and Marinette rolled her eyes. Of course she had to deal with Chat twice in one day. On the other hand, maybe she could use this to her advantage. Learn a little more about their 'teammate'. "Do you…trust her?"

"Yeah…I really do. Ladybug doesn't, at all, for some reason. She doesn't even want to consider her as part of our group."

"I wonder why?" she hoped it didn't sound sarcastic.

"I don't know. Maybe she feels like I'm replacing her or something."

Marinette stilled. "...Are you?"

Chat started, lifting his head up quickly. "Of course not. My Lady….Ladybug could never be replaced. But I don't know why she can't keep an open mind. Wave's really cool. Really genuine."

Some of the pressure in her chest subsided at that. "Oh…Wavelength. I've heard about her from Alya."

"Yeah?" Chat asked, he scooted over, gesturing for her to join him, and she sighed.

"Are you going to sleep over or something?" she muttered.

"We _are_ friends," he teased.

When he didn't move, she huffed and clambered into her side of the bed, switching off the lights. Chat may be an annoying nuisance, but…

Nope. He was just annoying. Period.

She lay there, staring up at her ceiling, and Cat did the same, to her left.

"If…someone else were to have joined you two…say a guy that really hit it off with Ladybug…would you care?" she asked him.

Chat turned to her. "I…don't know. Honestly I'd probably be a little jealous."

Marinette bit her lip.

"But Ladybug's not jealous!" he said quickly. "She doesn't have feelings for me. This is a matter of pride or something. Maybe she's just got control issues."

Marinette swallowed. "You're probably right. Who could be jealous over you, kitty?"

"Hey!"

She giggled, and she felt him shift next to her. When she turned on her side to face him, she saw his glowing green eyes watching her.

"Who's that guy on your monitor, Princess?"

She frowned. "Why? Do you know him?"

"He looks familiar."

"His name is Adrien."

"A school friend?"

"I wish. We aren't very close. I'm pretty sure he doesn't know I exist."

"That's not true."

She tucked her bangs back behind her ear. "You don't get it. I can't be this…casual around him. I freeze up like an idiot. He probably thinks I have autism."

"Why do you get so nervous?" he asked softly.

She laughed. "Well for one, it's Adrien Agreste. He's literally the most perfect human being on the planet. And also," she said, her voice growing small, "I've liked him forever."

She heard Chat's intake of breath.

She waited for his response, but he seemed to be thinking, and it worried her.

"Chat?"

"I see. My Princess has a thing for blondes then?" he inquired at last.

She reached out to punch him, but forgetting his damned night vision, he intercepted, and grabbed her hand. He placed a long, soft kiss on her knuckles, stealing her breath away.

"What? Do you have a thing for brunettes?" she asked wryly.

He flashed her a brilliant smile, and then he disappeared.

She brought her hand up to her chest, staring out the window.

She wasn't jealous.

She _wasn't._

She ignored Tikki's far-off giggle.

* * *

OoO

* * *

"Why did we have to go so soon?" Plagg complained. "She smells like bread and…cheese."

"She does not. It's your imagination."

"Well she smells good."

Adrien couldn't deny that.

He turned on the shower, stripping his shirt off and glancing at the old scars on his chest. "She likes Adrien," he murmured.

"Yes…and you're Adrien. See? Problem solved."

"But…I wished she liked me as Chat."

"But you're freindzoned as Chat."

"I know. My luck just sucks, doesn't it?"

Plagg snickered. "It's quite a conundrum. You could always approach her as Adrien, though. She likes him, and I can tell that you like _her."_

"I don't….I mean…maybe I kind of like her, even though I'm not supposed to. But it doesn't matter. She's infatuated with Adrien. Not Chat. And it would hurt knowing that she only liked half of me."

So he would continue to be her friend, just as he would continue to be Ladybug's partner.

"What about that cute Wavelength girl?" Plagg asked.

"Cute?"

"I'm connected to your biological system, dummy. I can tell when your heartrate increases or when your pupils dilate."

"Look, so she's attractive. And nice. And she's…definitely more approachable than Ladybug…"

Adrien shook his head. Too many girls. Too many problems.

"Forget it. I just need to get through high school."

* * *

 **So I hope my OC isn't too cheesy so far. She's a real pain in the butt to write, mainly because she's sinking my ship and I want to kill her off every paragraph.**

 **:D Happy Holidays. Please let me know what you guys think! Or what you predict for this story?**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey guys! Thanks so much for your support so far! It really means a lot!**

* * *

"Um….where's Chat?" Wavelength asked.

Ladybug glanced around the empty warehouse for any sign of black leather.

Where indeed?

She sighed, knowing just what that manipulative kitty was up to.

"Looks like it's just us," she said, smiling. Wavelength visibly deflated.

Ladybug gave her a once over. Wavelength was small, like herself, but she filled her uniform a little more. Muscle. Curves. Strong legs. She could be trained well for fighting hand to hand combat.

"Well," Ladybug began, faking enthusiasm for Chat's sake, "I'd like to see what you can do. I don't really understand your power. Would you mind explaining it a little and giving me a demonstration?"

Wavelength shrugged. "I can create energy with my hands, and it travels in waves. It has different strengths. For example, some waves just move _objects_ ," she flicked her wrist, and Ladybug stumbled backwards against the pulse, taken by surprise. She stared up at the blond in disbelief.

Had she just….?

She opened her mouth to say something, but Wavelength continued innocently. "Or it can be utilized in more concentrated portions." She closed her eyes and with a cold shriek, the old windows all around them burst into a million shards.

Ladybug eyed the raining glass carefully, then her new teammate. _Be nice. Be nice. Be nice._

"Impressive. But we try not to be destructive of property. And we don't attack each other. _Ever_."

Wavelength smiled and nodded understandably. "My apologies."

It was meant to be submissive, Ladybug was sure, but it sent a chill down her spine.

"Chat tells me you haven't had this power long. Can I ask you how you got it?" Ladybug asked.

"I was chosen, just like you two."

Chosen? "So…you have a miraculous as well?"

Wavelength smiled like that was cute. "Can I ask _you_ a question?"

"Go ahead."

"Why are you in charge?"

"Um…I'm sorry?" Ladybug stammered. She didn't like where this was headed.

"It's just…you say that you're partners, you and Chat. But you call the shots," Wavelength crossed her arms, "You order him around."

"I don't—"

"I was just wondering what made you so special. Is it because you have a magic _yo-yo_ or…?"

That time, there was nothing but disdain in her words, and Ladybug dropped her cheerful disposition.

"You're not interested in joining us, are you?" she asked the newbie, confronting her rival at last. "You want to be Chat's partner. You want to take him from me, don't you?"

The smirk that answered her question spread wide and dark.

"It won't be hard. You've already chased him away."

Ladybug felt her mouth fall open, eyes wide.

"Why are you doing this?" she whispered.

"Chat's _mine_."

"Not yet."

"Are you sure?"

They stared at each other, and Ladybug had to restrain herself from pounding the girl into the ground with her yo-yo.

"Hello, lovely Ladies!" They jumped and turned to the source of the voice. Chat walked with his staff over his shoulders, proud of his ingenious plan. "Did you have time to get _acquainted_?"

Wavelength fixed her face. "Y-yes! Ladybug just asked me a few questions about myself. Although I basically just fangirled the whole time. I mean, it is Ladybug, after all."

Chat smiled at her knowingly.

Ladybug watched the girl with a fearful fascination, hiding the tide of emotions boiling in her stomach.

* * *

OoO

* * *

"Marinette, calm down!" Tikki cautioned.

"I can't! Did you hear her? Did you see that grin? She's evil!"

"Marinette, shhhh."

She couldn't help it. She'd pretended to ignore the episode between them for hours, and now she felt sick.

"I knew from the beginning! And can you believe her nerve? To actually use her powers on me? What…what a manipulative little…what….what a….—"

"Princess?"

Marinette fell silent and cocked her head at the terrace. No _way_. She couldn't handle this right now. The truth about that horrible girl was dripping from her mouth like acid.

"Now's not good, Chat," she managed, staring at the wall.

"Are you okay? I could hear you yelling from two houses away."

He strode in, wet from rain, and she bit the inside of her cheek to keep from screaming.

She couldn't tell him as Ladybug, or she'd push him away even further. She could picture his face as she revealed that his new friend was actually an evil psychopath who was obsessed with him. He'd proceed to complain that she was hypercritical for refusing to give Wavelength a chance. She'd lose him for sure.

She had to catch that liar in the act. But how? Wavelength was too clever.

She needed her cat. She needed him so badly to understand, but she couldn't ask him for help, and it burned in her throat and her eyes, and never had she felt so alone.

"Princess? Are you…"

Her shoulders shook, and she pressed her hand to her mouth to keep herself from sobbing.

Warm, gloved hands turned her around, and Chat's eyes bore into hers. "What happened? Do I need to beat someone up?" She shook her head, and he cupped her face, concern laced in his features. "You're scaring me."

"Please…go."

He blinked at her. "You really want me to leave you?"

She nodded, but her legs were shaking.

"Well that's too bad," he said, wiping the tears away with his thumb. "It's raining and I hate water, so I'm staying right here."

She sniffed. "Stupid kitty."

He smiled and wrapped his arms around her, and she fell into his embrace, shuddering because she refused to cry anymore.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he whispered into her hair.

"I can't."

"Okay."

And that was it.

They slid down to the floor together, and she tucked her head into his shoulder, digging her nails into his suit as she held on to him for dear life. He rubbed soothing circles into her sides.

"I'm sorry you're hurting. But I'm here for you."

She curled into him, fighting the tears.

If only.

* * *

OoO

* * *

Wavelength stared up at the balcony, seething. She could get rid of Ladybug. But who was this? This civilian? She could ruin everything.

She needed to go.

 _I'm running out of patience._

 _"_ Clearly. Do you have to keep generating so many new villains?"

 _I can't waste my time waiting for you to make your move._

"It's almost time. Soon you'll have the Miraculous. I'll have Chat. And Ladybug will be out of the picture."

* * *

OoO

* * *

"Sometimes it scares me."

Chat handed Wavelength her ice cream cone and sat down next to her, frowning.

"What does?"

She accepted the treat, but she looked a little green. "My power. It's so destructive. I mean, Ladybug's ability actually puts things back together again. Mine just…breaks them apart."

Chat licked his mint chocolate chip scoop. "I get it. My cataclysm power is extremely dangerous. Plus I have rotten luck, so together I'm a walking disaster."

"But you seem so confident."

"I am, now. I know my limits. Thanks to Ladybug, I actually developed a lot of self-control. When she's with me, I feel like I know what I'm doing. Even though I don't," he laughed.

Wavelength's eyes pooled with water, and Chat almost dropped his cone at the sight. "Hey, I'm here for you. Ladybug is too."

She slumped, shaking her head. "She doesn't like me."

"She doesn't like me either," Chat joked, and the girl smiled. "But that doesn't mean she doesn't care. Ladybug…she's incredible. She can do anything."

She looked at him incredulously. "You can too! You've always been my hero. Not Ladybug. Chat Noir."

Chat turned to her, grinning. "Really? I always felt like no one noticed me."

"Probably because you give her all the credit," she noted.

 _She deserves it_ , he thought.

"You know, if you're really partners, you should have just as many statues at Ladybug. Just as many blogs, and fans."

Chat felt a stab of pain, but he suppressed it. "None of that matters to me."

"I know. It's what I love about you."

Wavelength smiled, and she leaned in, pecking him on the cheek.

Chat did drop his ice cream this time, flushing. She'd just…kissed him, right?

"S-sorry, that was inappropriate! I don't know what came over me!" she apologized, hiding her face in her hands.

The teen boy swallowed. "It's okay. I just…I don't know how to feel yet. Or if I _should_ feel, you know? I've been down that road before. It wasn't fun."

She smiled, a small, understanding line, and her pinkie interlaced with his.

* * *

OoO

* * *

"Is it just me, or is Hawk Moth getting too creative?" Chat asked as he dodged the paper airplane.

"Chat!" Ladybug cried, fighting off the razor sharp files. "It's the—"

"Locket!" Wavelength interrupted. She shot Ladybug a smug glance around the side of the cubicle, and the red clad hero tried not to blow steam.

Oblivious to the interaction, Chat nodded his understanding.

"Force me to work on the holidays! Faxing. Emails. Filing. I'm sick of this life!" the woman shrieked in her shrill voice, and more documents were ejected from the cabinets of the office.

"Ah, Lady, you're bumming meowt."

Chat leapt for her, but one of the drawers opened and slammed into his head, knocking him to the floor. He groaned and struggled to get up again.

"Lucky Charm!" Ladybug called. When the glow faded she was left with...an office chair?

Of all things…?

She bit her lip and glanced at the floor-to-ceiling window at the end of the hallway. Ah.

"Chat, be ready!" she yelled to her partner.

Fiercely, she kicked the chair, and it rolled through the window—shattering the glass—and spiraled down the fifty stories of the skyscraper.

Immediately, a gust of cold wind blew through the office, throwing up papers in a mad, chaotic storm.

Chat used the distraction and the temporarily blinded victim as an opportunity to tackle her to the ground. In less than three seconds, he had pinned the woman down and yanked off the locket.

Ladybug had just opened her mouth to rejoice when she felt a strange gust of wind, flowing _towards_ the window, and she was suddenly flying backwards and down.

She was falling, Chat's scream dying in the wind.

She gasped—or attempted to—and fumbled for her yo-yo. Come on! Hurry.

She panicked as the world passed by too quickly, and she shut her eyes for impact.

 _Sorry, Tikki._

Instead of splatting across the concrete, her stomach lurched, and she was launched upwards, flailing.

Her eyes snapped open, and she crashed onto the pavement at a much softer velocity. She cursed and rolled to a stop, choosing not to look at her bleeding forearms and knees.

It took her a moment to recover from shock, then confusion.

A few minutes later, Chat was by her side, helping her to her feet. "Are you alright?"

Without speaking to him, she yanked the locket out of his hands and pushed him away, using her power to set the world straight and free the white butterfly.

Once order was restored, she turned, livid, and she locked eyes with Wavelength.

"You!" she yelled. "You just tried to kill me!"

She lunged for the blond, but before she could inflict any damage, Chat was dragging her away. "Hey! Calm down! She just saved your life!"

Wavelength had fallen backwards, and she scooted away on her hands, feigning terror.

"Chat, are you serious?" Ladybug cried, grabbing his arms and staring at him, begging. "Please, you've got to believe me. She pushed me out the window!"

"No…I-I didn't. I saw you fall. I sent a reflective wave to bounce off the street and intercept you!" Wavelength insisted. "You would be dead if I hadn't done something…"

Chat narrowed his eyes at Ladybug. "I saw the whole thing happen, Ladybug. What's gotten into you? How could you blame her for something like that?"

Ladybug's throat closed up. No. She was losing her hold on the rope that held them together. It was slipping, and her hands were blistered.

She glanced between the two of them, and she balled her hands into fists.

"Chat….you have to choose. It's me or her."

* * *

OoO

* * *

Chat's heart splintered. He stepped away from her, eyes wide and wounded. "I thought we established that we were a team?"

"If you'd just listen to what she's—"

"Why can't _you_ listen?" he countered.

There was a crazy look in Ladybug's eyes. A desperate, spiteful, heat.

What was going on with her? Was she actually…

 _Jealous_?

He looked back at Wavelength who stood frightened behind him, then at his old love, and her gritted teeth.

Could it be? Now that she couldn't have him, she wanted him back? Now that she wasn't his Goddess, she needed him? It was the only explanation for her behavior.

"Until you can be rational about this, I'm no longer your partner," he said, the words burning his tongue like fire. Ladybug's mouth fell open, and her blue eyes filled with tears. The sight was oddly familiar.

But the brief crack in her emotional wall passed, and she sealed it with ice.

"You stopped being my partner the moment you trusted her, Chat."

And she ran.

* * *

OoO

* * *

Chat needed to talk to Marinette. Immediately.

He climbed up her terrace, and reached for the door, not bothering with a façade and a sly grin. Not this time.

It was locked.

He tried again, but the door didn't budge, and he wanted to scream.

Why…why had she shut him out? Was it because he'd seen her crying? Had she been crying about him, perhaps?

He didn't know, but he felt like he'd been buried under snow, and she was the sun.

The image of Ladybug looking at him like he'd struck her came lashing out at him.

Why did it come to this? Why did she make him choose? It's not like he could leave Wave out there on her own, unlearned, unloved.

That's how villains were born.

He stared at his reflection in the glass door, a lonely, lost child who had just broken up with his best friend. He turned away.

* * *

OoO

* * *

Adrien waited for her to come.

She was always late, stumbling in with a mouthful of excuses, furiously apologizing to Miss Bustier.

He stared at the door, his hand clenched around his pencil, willing her to appear.

When she did, he snapped his pencil, and Nino elbowed him, snickering at his expense.

Marinette had been crying. Her eyes were red and swollen, and she sauntered past him to her seat beside Alya, silent, so unlike her.

He wanted nothing more than to turn around and hug her and beg her to explain why she had blocked him out. Of course, she was deathly afraid of Adrien, so she'd probably have a heart attack if he did.

He held his breath, waiting for her to explain what was wrong to Alya. When nothing came, he thought he might pass out from the lack of oxygen.

Screw it.

He turned in his seat to look at her.

She lifted her heavy eyes. The blue irises widened just a sliver, then fell back to her clasped hands.

There was so much he wanted to say to her, but all that came out was, "I'm sorry."

She blinked and flushed, peering at him quizzically. "W-what?"

He leaned over her desk and placed his hand on top of hers, squeezing it. She was cold.

"I don't know what happened, but Alya, Nino, and I are here for you."

Her lip trembled, but she managed an embarrassed smile.

"Thanks, Adrien. It…it means a lot."

* * *

 **That angst though...**


	4. Chapter 4

Marinette was talking today. Her voice was like rain in an insufferable drought. Adrien had a feeling it was mostly an act, her way of pleasing Alya and getting her off her back, but still.

He had an excuse to look at her now without being creepy.

"Isn't it just awful?" Alya complained.

"What is?" asked Marinette.

Her friend stared at her. "Hello? Chat Noir and Ladybug's breakup?"

Something dark and painful flickered over her features, passing too quickly for Alya to catch, but not for Adrien. "Oh…right, right."

Alya rolled her eyes. "It's the worst. Now I only have footage of them separately, or Chat with that replacement, Wavelength. Ugh."

Adrien sat facing them in his seat. "Wavelength doesn't seem so bad, does she?" he asked.

"Oh she's terrible," Marinette said matter-of-factly. Her eyes widened when she realized she'd spoken to Adrien so boldly, and she turned her attention back to her drawing, missing his flabbergasted smile.

"You said it, Marinette," Nino agreed.

Adrien looked at his friend in surprise. "Really? You don't like her either?"

"She basically split up the best duo of all time, man. She's diabolical."

Alya's shoulders sagged. "Whatever. I just wish they would get back together already. It's so sad watching them, and you just know it's got to be torturing them. I mean, they've been fighting side by side since…when? Eighth grade?"

Adrien tried to ignore the lump in his throat. Was it that obvious? Did he lament his loss out in the field? Could Wavelength tell?

"It's cruel! It's unfair! It's—"

"It's sad," Marinette whispered, but only Adrien seemed to hear her. She'd removed herself from the conversation again, distanced herself from the laughter and the banter.

 _It_ **is** _sad_ , he thought.

* * *

OoO

* * *

He hardly saw her anymore.

Ladybug would either work so quickly on her own, that by the time Chat Noir and Wavelength appeared, the akuma had been taken care of, or she would only show herself at the end of the fight and use her miraculous to restore balance.

A few times he tried to speak to her, but she dashed off before he could get more than a word out.

Once he had tackled her and pinned her to the ground.

"Talk to me."

"About what?" she'd groaned, struggling beneath him.

"Come on. We can't keep this up. We need to talk it out."

She'd glared at him, and he hadn't even cared. He loved that look.

"Ladybug…I miss you."

Then—finally—she'd softened. Her eyes revealed the pain within, and she'd reached up to touch his face.

"I…"

"Chat?" Wavelength had called from a distance, worry etched in her voice.

"Your girlfriend's calling you," Ladybug had said, and she'd rolled out from under him, running away.

Always running.

He knew she was the one in the wrong, but he couldn't help feeling like he'd lost a part of him, the part that prompted the teasing, that ignited the lackadaisical attitude of Chat Noir.

Wavelength tried to cheer him up and convince him that they were just fine without her, but he couldn't let that damned Ladybug go.

"Both of them shut me out of their lives!" he sighed one night, distressed.

"Both?" Wavelength asked shyly.

"Oh…yeah. Ladybug and Marinette."

"Marinette. Is that the baker's girl you used to visit?"

Chat spun, surprised. "Yeah. How did you…?"

"I was passing by one night. It surprised me. I didn't think you had a girlfriend."

Chat shook his head. "I don't. I mean, she's my friend. Or…she was." He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I know her as my civilian self, and it drives me nuts not being able to talk to her about what happened. Sometimes keeping two identities just doesn't seem…worth it."

Wavelength grabbed his hand, and Chat had learned that was her way of showing him that she may not understand, but that she cared.

It was nice.

"I don't really know what it's like, actually. This is who I am. The mask is just a feature."

"What do you mean, Blondie?"

"I don't really have a normal life, outside crime fighting. This is what I do now."

Chat still didn't get it. Did she mean her home life was so bad that she didn't consider it a part of her identity, or that she really had nowhere to go, no one to turn to?

"What about your family? School? Don't you miss those things?"

Wavelength hesitated. "I don't know. I don't remember."

Chat watched her sadly. Then his ring lost another light. He rubbed the back of his neck. "It's…getting kind of late. I should probably go."

He squeezed her hand once and backed away, but her voice stopped him.

"Chat?"

He turned.

"If…if you want, I can help you forget them…" Wavelength said quietly, hopefully.

Chat's eyebrows rose high beneath his bangs. "Forget them? You mean Marinette and Ladybug?" That's all he'd tried to do these days, forget, forgive, move on. How did she plan on accomplishing that?

She nodded shyly, and she stepped closer.

"How?" he asked eagerly.

She came close enough so that their bodies were touching, and Chat felt hot. He touched her forearms to push her away, gently, but she took that as a sign of receipt and came even closer, if that was even possible.

"Like this."

Her hand curled up around the bell at his throat, and before he could think of an escape, she tugged.

 _Kissing_.

They were kissing.

Her lips were firm and aggressive and wanting, and his brain shut down, only aware of the physical.

Her hands traveled to the back of his neck and then into his hair, and his eyes were closed, and he was immersed.

He could picture them now. Him, holding her small frame to him, deepening the kiss, letting the passion drip from his lips. And her deft fingers curled in his hair, across his scalp, caressing, pulling.

The way Marinette's mouth—

His eyes flew open and he backed away, stumbling over himself. Wavelength stared at him, lips swollen.

How could he have been so selfish? Kissing Wavelength back like that when he'd been thinking of another girl? Was he really so low? He was terrible.

And why had he been thinking of Marinette? Not even Ladybug, which was at least understandable. No, he'd been fantasizing about his classmate, his _friend_ , his…

He looked back at Wavelength, regretful and disappointed in himself.

"I'm sorry. That was a mistake," he breathed, and he fled before she could reply, ignoring the irritating organ hammering against his rib-cage.

* * *

OoO

* * *

"Marinette, what's wrong?"

"Nothing! I'm fine. See?" she smiled, but it was forced, and they both knew it.

Ever since she'd come to class in tears, her friend hadn't relented. And she couldn't exactly tell Alya the real reason for her mood: that Chat Noir abandoned her and thought she was insane. That even though she could take advantage of the fact he befriended Marinette, she couldn't bear to see him when she knew what he thought of Ladybug.

"I'll see you later," she lied, and she headed the other way.

She had just made it outside the school when something slammed into her, and she fell to her knees, hand reaching up to the swelling lump on her forehead.

 _Owwwwww._

Someone cursed and strong arms were lifting her up.

She blubbered something about it being fine, and began to turn away, embarrassed, but the arms didn't let her go.

She finally looked up.

"Adrien?"

He was looking at her so strangely. Almost as if he had broken her leg or something.

"I…I'm sorry. I didn't see you and God, I'm so stupid, uh…I…are you, you know…okay?" he stammered.

She couldn't help it.

She laughed.

"I think that's my line," she whispered.

He blushed and attempted a smile, but it was warped, and a little scary.

She turned to leave again, but his hold was solid.

"Um…."

His eyes were pleading. _Stay_ , they screamed.

She didn't understand it. Why was he looking at her like that? Why did it hurt her to see him hurt about her hurting?

He seemed to realize what he was doing and released her, apologizing.

Marinette eyed him suspiciously as she walked away. That was weird. And it wasn't her imagination this time.

Alya would have been proud of her for not stuttering like an imbecile, but she wondered if it meant she was no longer nervous around him.

And if she was no longer nervous, did that mean she no longer liked him?

"Maybe you moved on," Tikki said from her purse, reading her mind as always.

"I don't know. It doesn't feel like I'm over him. More like, I'm over waiting. I'm over waiting for him and Chat to come around."

Jeez. Even when she tried not to, she sounded depressed. Curse that Chat for stomping on her heart.

Tikki hummed. "There's a reason you feel so down, Marinette."

"What do you mean?"

"Chat Noir and Ladybug are connected. You have an evolutionary bond. That's why you both ended up in Paris. Not working together…it's like going against your nature."

Marinette paused, glancing down at the red head popping out of her bag.

"So…"

"Maybe you should try talking to him again. After all, if Wavelength threatened you, it's only a matter of time until she threatens Chat. She's dangerous."

Marinette swallowed.

"But…he hates me."

"That's not the least bit true. You heard him yourself. He misses you. And you miss him."

Marinette blinked to keep the tears in. She did. The desire to see him, to hear him make his terrible puns and laugh and flirt was so strong it had startled her at first. Then she'd realized that maybe there was a reason for her emotion, deep down.

Perhaps Tikki was right. Feelings aside, her bond with Chat was too important. Paris was too important. She couldn't keep being selfish.

* * *

OoO

* * *

Adrien sighed as he placed his fencing gear back in his locker.

"I can't believe I acted like such a moron in front of Marinette."

"It _was_ pretty pathetic," Plagg supplied.

Adrien glared. "I just…didn't realize how much I missed talking to her." _And imaginary-kissing her._

"You never know how big a role something plays in your life until it's gone," Plagg said wisely. "For instance, cheese. Do you know how long I've gone without some top quality Swiss?"

"Three hours?"

"Oh, the pain…"

Adrien snickered.

He'd stopped checking to see if she'd unlocked her balcony door about a week ago. It had hurt him too much every time the blinds were drawn over the faint glow within her room. She'd gone through something horrible, and at first he dared to hope she just needed time. But now, it was clear she didn't want to speak to him at all, for whatever reason.

Every day in class he listened intently for her to express to Alya what went wrong, fish for some clues. But the questions never found any answers, and Marinette would switch topics like a professional.

He'd suggested earlier that week that the four of them go out for lunch, and another time he suggested a movie date, but Marinette politely declined.

She always declined.

He had the worst of luck when it came to girls. First he ruined his friendship with Ladybug. Then, for a reason he wasn't even sure of, he messed things up with Marinette. And of course, he kissed his new partner and proceeded to call the entire ordeal a mistake before taking off like an idiot.

It was times like these he really wished he had a mother. She would be able to explain what the hell was happening in these girls' heads and tell him how to mend his life back together.

But he didn't have a mom. He barely even had a dad.

He had Plagg...

Sighing, Adrien left the locker room, eyes downcast.

Maybe the best solution was to forget Marinette, just like Wavelength had suggested.

But even as he nodded to himself, sifting through a plan for memory loss, he knew he could never let her go.

For some unexplainable reason, he couldn't give up on her.

He wouldn't.

* * *

 **Haha it's getting closer! I think there's about two or three chapters left!**

 **Thanks for your reviews guys! They mean the world and DEFINITELY keep me going!**


	5. Chapter 5

Ladybug winced as she slid through the trap door in her ceiling. She'd sprained something—she was sure. Not even to an Akuma. To a stupid criminal.

Fighting alone was never her intention, but it was a necessity now. She did what she could, but often she came back bruised and battered.

Like tonight.

She staggered into her room, flipping on the lights.

Or…did she?

She frowned at her wall, knowing for a fact she was nowhere near her light switch.

She turned, and her gut plummeted.

"I have to admit, I'm underwhelmed."

Wavelength sat there in Marinette's chair, smiling cruelly.

Ladybug didn't wait for the shock to settle in. She chucked her compact at the woman, but Wavelength was too quick. She merely blinked, and the yo-yo swerved from its path at the same moment her mirror splintered.

She'd grown stronger.

Wavelength raised her hand, and Ladybug felt a pressure on her back and her head. She tried to fight it, but eventually she was forced to her knees.

"Wow. This is just unbelievable. I mean the two nuisances in Chat's life are actually the same person. Talk about killing two bugs with one stone."

"You don't know what you're talking about," Ladybug hissed, her arms shaking against the weight above her.

"Please. I came in here hoping to scare this fashion designer off, but instead, you waltz in. What would Chat think if he knew his lovely Ladybug was just the scrawny, incompetent, daughter of a baker?"

She laughed, and Ladybug shut her eyes.

This wasn't happening. She couldn't lose again!

"Hmmm. What to do, what to do…" Wavelength muttered.

Ladybug dug her nails into the carpet. It felt like the ceiling was slowly squeezing the life out of her. "What more do you want? Ladybug's out of the picture. Just like you wanted! Marinette blocked Chat out of her life. I'm not even a threat!"

Wavelength crouched next to her, grinning. "See, I thought so too. But Chat won't stop moping over you. Both of you. So I'm not just removing you from the picture. I'm burning the photograph."

She released another wave, but this time, it held a pitch—a piercingly high pitch. Ladybug clamped her hands to her ears, cringing against the sound. Her vision turned dark, and the note faded.

* * *

OoO

* * *

He was doing it. He was trying her door one more time, and this time, he wasn't leaving till he got an answer.

Or so he thought.

Chat slowed as he took on the scene before him.

Cop cars. Sirens. Marinette's parents were out front, speaking loudly, frightfully.

He moved closer, crouching behind one of the cars so he could make out their conversation.

"The last time we saw her, she'd went upstairs for bed. She'd been acting strange lately, depressed—"

"Depressed? Is she suicidal, ma'am?"

"No! She…she was just down. I went up to check on her, and she was gone. The back door was open!"

"How long has it been since then?"

"Almost four hours now."

The words were bullets in his chest. She'd been taken? Or did she run away?

"Well, we can't declare her missing for 24 hours, but we'll—"

Chat hurried up the building, peering into her room. There were several cops inside, taking notes, pictures.

Everything seemed in its place, no signs of a struggle.

Only a broken mirror, with an oddly specific fracture.

That was strange. Perhaps she punched it? Would it form a ring like that if she had?

"If this is serious, it will be the second kidnapping in the last month," the investigator sighed.

"Laurel Beaumont," the other confirmed. "Similar body-type and age. Same kind of mysterious disappearance. More broken glass. The cases sure seem linked."

Chat swallowed the bile in his throat, jumping up to the roof so he could pace.

Princess was gone? Taken? By whom? Why? He knew nothing, and it killed him.

He sat down on the edge of the roof and tapped his communicator. The hologram appeared, and he typed in Laurel Beaumont to find anything that might give him a lead.

Several sources appeared, but he didn't get that far.

The face under the images tag was angular, but soft. She had blond hair, light blue eyes. But it was her gentle, understanding smile that gave her away.

Wavelength.

* * *

OoO

* * *

The pieces started filling themselves in one by one.

She'd gone missing at the same time she'd appeared as her alter ego. She said she only had one identity, that she couldn't remember her old life. She'd known about Marinette and where she lived. The broken mirror had a chopped fracture, like something caused by a wave.

Most importantly, Ladybug hadn't trusted her from the beginning.

Chat felt like he might puke.

She was _akumatized_. Jealous and possessed. The worst combination.

 _"_ Plagg," he thought, "how can someone be akumatized for so long?"

 _It's not unheard of, but she's dangerous. She's had practice. Training. And removing the akuma will not be easy._

"So it's true? You think she's evil? That she took Marinette?"

 _I don't know. But she's always made me feel uncomfortable. And she doesn't smell like cheesy bread at all._

Chat rolled his eyes.

He needed his Lady to help him. The girl he'd thrown away alongside his trust and logic.

"Is there a way you can track Ladybug?"

 _Tikki and I agreed not to use our senses unless it was absolutely necessary._

"Who's Tikki? And it's important, Plagg! Marinette's in trouble. Because of me!"

 _Fine. But I expect some high class cheese for this._

"Bitto. Roquefort. Whatever you want, okay? Please. Find her."

There was silence, then Plagg sighed. _I sense her presence on the east side of Paris. I can narrow it down if you get closer._

Chat was already moving.

* * *

OoO

* * *

"So…what happens when I take her Miraculous?"

 _Does it matter?_

"Will she die? That thing's a part of her life now. Without her kwami or whatever, will she live?"

 _It's not likely._

"Oh. Okay. Good."

 _Would you quit stalling?_

"Take it easy. If she dies, your reputation will sky rocket. You'll be the most feared man in Paris. Maybe the world. I'll make sure of it."

 _Yes, but…_

"All good things to those who wait."

* * *

OoO

* * *

"Talking to yourself?" Ladybug groaned from the floor. She was tied up, hands and legs bound with rope, and her head had adopted its own thunderous pulse. She glanced around at their surroundings, but all she saw was darkness and a lone, sneering figure.

This was bad.

Wavelength stepped forward and grabbed her ear, nail piercing her skin where the earring was buried.

"Don't mind if I take this, do you?"

Marinette wasn't surprised. She'd realized the girl was possessed by an akuma over the last few hours. She knew who she worked for. It's why she could never give her a clear answer about her powers and where they came from. Why she'd been ' _chosen'_.

When Chat had marveled at Moth's creativity, it'd been an understatement. This akuma had infiltrated their system and wiped it out like a Mountain Pine Beetle.

"What do you plan to do once you turn my Miraculous over to Hawk Moth?"

Wavelength pursed her lips. "Comfort Chat, of course."

Ladybug's chest tightened at the thought of Chat never knowing the truth. Would he continue to fight by Wavelength's side as if nothing had happened? Would he even mourn her if she died?

She struggled to push that thought away.

"If you take his Miraculous away too, he'll hate you."

"Well it's a good thing I don't plan on taking it," Wavelength said, glowing with guile. "After all, if I give Moth everything he wants, Chat and I will have no one to rescue, no one to fight."

Ladybug frowned. That seemed unlikely. How could she ignore Hawk Moth's wishes? "Won't Hawk Moth force you to take the ring eventually? He _is_ the catalyst for your power."

Wavelength snarled. "The difference between me and all those other akumatized victims is that I was never a victim in the first place. I wanted this, and I have enough willpower to form my own persona. Hawk Moth aside."

Even as she spoke, Ladybug noticed the uncertainty in her eyes, the slight distraction in her features, as if she were internally arguing with her conscience.

Ladybug looked up at her with something close to sympathy. She was angry at her rival, but she pitied her too. She supposed that was the price about being Ladybug. She couldn't hate anyone. She couldn't be blinded by jealousy.

She had to see the world and its people for what they _could_ be, or hope would fall to the corrupt and vile.

She held her enemy's gaze. "If you have that much self-control, you should be able to end this. Do the right thing. Become a hero on your own. Let the akuma go."

Wavelength sneered and yanked off the first earring. Ladybug gasped and bit her lip to keep from crying out. It was like she'd just ripped her ear clean off. She could feel the throbbing pain, traveling down her throat, into her lungs.

"Any last words, Ladybug?" Wavelength asked.

"Yeah," Ladybug whispered between the dots crossing her vision. "Turn around."

* * *

OoO

* * *

"You sure this is it?"

 _The connection is strongest here. It's either her, or a cheese factory or something._

"Plagg that's not funny."

The kwami laughed anyway.

Chat took a deep, shaky breath, and he jumped down through the ventilation into the old building.

He landed in a crouch, and he sucked in, eyes widening at the sight before him.

It was dim lit, but the moonlight reflected off two individuals. There against an old fireplace, Ladybug sat on her knees, tied up. Wavelength stood over her, slipping off her Miraculous.

Chat extended his staff, standing up slowly, rage all consuming.

Wavelength tensed and turned, and she gaped at him, lost for words.

"Chat…I…how?"

"Tongue-tied?" he seethed. He spared a glance at Ladybug, and their eyes met briefly, a channel of relief and sorrow and encouragement.

Wavelength looked between her and Ladybug in despair. "Chat…you don't understand. She…she…"

"Spare your lies," he said, stepping forward. "You manipulated me into deserting my partner. Everything you ever told me was a move in your game. And I hate to break it to you, Blondie, but…you've lost."

Her worry cooled into something evil. "Have I?"

She yanked off Ladybug's second earring, and the hero screamed, clutching her chest.

The agonized cry fueled Chat's wrath. He smacked Wavelength with his staff, sending her back into a pile of empty cardboard boxes. With his path clear, he dashed to his Lady's side.

Only…it wasn't his Lady anymore.

Her uniform had transformed into civilian clothes and shoes, and the mask had disintegrated.

There was a weak, shivering girl lying there—a girl who had haunted his dreams for the last three weeks.

"Princess?"

* * *

OoO

* * *

His world teetered.

Memories surfaced and sparked clarity. Strange absences, locked doors, coincidences, excuses, mutual attraction and dismissal.

Marinette was Ladybug. Ladybug was Marinette.

The two girls he loved most in the world were one and the same.

He fell to his knees before her and gathered her into his arms, her body limp, cold, fragile. Her eyes were fluttering, and her face was so pale it physically crippled him.

"What's happening to you?" he choked, untying her from her bonds.

 _Her Miraculous, Adrien. She needs them to survive!_ Plagg yelled. _Get them before it's too late._

Losing their Miraculous could do _this_? He knew they'd been chosen as vessels for the kwamis, but he never realized their souls had been attached _, molded_ to the creatures.

He set her down gently, shock still churning in a sea of affection, and he turned, hands itching for a fight.

Wavelength growled and kicked the boxes away, clambering to her feet. "Chat…you must understand. This is for the best. She's just hurting you."

"Shut up. Don't act like you know me."

"But I do know you!" she insisted.

He split his staff into two separate eskrima sticks, charging the traitor, vision tunneling on the source of all his problems.

She pushed him back with her waves, but he dodged the full blast of it and came again, and again.

"I know how you feel inferior to her!" Wavelength declared. Her energy tore up the concrete, rolling it towards him, a monstrous upsurge of debris.

Chat avoided the pulse, somersaulting to safety.

"I know that you debate whether or not being Chat Noir is worth the price!"

"Shut up!"

"I know that Chat is who you really are, secret identity aside! You're Chat first, and she rejected you."

That one messed with his focus, and he was thrown backwards from the force, skidding across the dusty floor.

Wavelength raised her arms, pleading, reasoning without reason. "She's the problem here, Chat. I was just trying to do you a favor."

He ignored her. He _had_ to ignore her or the words would cut deep and he'd be unable to strike.

He needed those earrings. Ladybug was dying. She was dying and it was all because of his gullibility.

 _For once in your life, be the hero, not the sidekick. Show her you can save her,_ he thought _._

"If you love me, give me the Miraculous."

This only made her laugh, and he cursed, picking himself up again. His eyes flickered to Ladybug, Marinette, writhing on the ground, growing weaker. Dying. It burned his eyes.

The shy, socially awkward Marinette met his gaze, determined, and she lifted her head with difficulty. "It's her heart, Chat!" she shouted, voice hoarse, pouring all she could into it. "The akuma's her heart!"

He halted, staring.

Wavelength looked at Ladybug like she'd burned the world down, then back at Chat.

So it was true? How the hell was he supposed to destroy the akuma if it was inside her? He couldn't kill her.

He wasn't ruthless.

 _Come on, Chat_ , he thought. _Breaking things is what you're good at._

He straightened.

 _That's it._

Just as Laurel sent another wave in his direction, he jumped up, disappearing into the rafters.

* * *

OoO

* * *

"Here, kitty, kitty…" Wavelength called into the darkness. "Where are you?"

There was a terrible sound, like nails on a chalkboard, then Chat landed in front of her with exceptional grace, and she smiled.

"Blondie, you fail to see the truth," he said seriously. "You may love me, but my heart will always belong to Ladybug."

Her smile disappeared, replaced by a scowl.

"You're lying."

"Am I? She's beautiful. And strong. And brave. And she'd do anything to protect those she cares about. She's a real hero. You're a fake."

The words were a prise de fer on her paradigm. She gaped at him, shaking her head disbelievingly.

Adrien went for the final strike. "I don't _want_ you. And I don't _need_ you."

Her eyes inflamed and her hands rose to attack him.

Unfortunately, she never got the chance. At that moment, the wooden rafters came crashing down, cut from their support by Chat's Cataclysm moments before.

They buried her in debris, trapping her in a wooden prison.

Unharmed.

For the most part.

"Chat…" she spat. "How could you?!"

"I care about you, Laurel," he said, and the name struck her with the weight of a club. "But you can't lie and blackmail your way into love. We can't be together. Ever. I'm sorry."

Her lower lip quivered as she stared at him, and then her watering eyes rolled into the back of her head, and she passed out. Her hero get-up faded, leaving her in civilian clothing, He wasn't sure what happened to the akuma, but the steady rhythm of Laurel's breathing indicated she would be okay.

The Miraculous fell from her unclenched hand like defeated chess pieces. Chat snatched them and raced back to Marinette.

He knelt beside her, lifting her head into his lap. He placed the jewelry in her palm, hoping, waiting.

Her skin was cold. Almost too cold.

 _Adrien…I don't…_

Fearfully, Chat reached out, cupping her face. She was stone, unmoving, unblinking. Hesitantly, his hand fell to her neck to check her pulse.

His throat swelled.

She wasn't breathing.

* * *

 **Thanks for all the reviews on the last chapter! They helped me type up this garbage in no time!**


	6. Chapter 6

**AWWWW we've reached the end, my friends! Enjoy!**

* * *

"Marinette?" he whispered, crumbling.

Nothing.

"Marinette? Ladybug?" he shook her, but her eyes remained closed.

Tears began to gather, and he trembled, hands at a loss for what to do.

 _Adrien…she's…_

"Shut up, Plagg!"

He laid her flat on the ground and began performing CPR. "Come on," he murmured as he pressed down on her chest. Over and over.

And over.

He clasped her face and breathed air into her parted mouth, giving her everything, all of it.

She could have every last piece of him.

She just had to come back.

 _She's gone. Adrien, she's dead._

The words finally registered, and Chat sat back, folding his head in his arms.

Why did he ever think his bad luck wouldn't rub off on her? He was deadly. A black cat. He took the most precious, beautiful creature and stripped her of her smile, then her life.

His chest felt like he'd taken a beating. It felt like Wavelength had disrupted the frequency of his pulse, robbed him of his lungs, his heart, his life.

What was he going to do without her?

Not just Ladybug, either. Marinette. Her bubbly, flustered attitude. Her sassy remarks. Her creativity and sincerity.

He would have to tell her family what happened. Oh _God_ , her family.

And Alya.

How would he explain that Ladybug and Marinette had passed on the same day? Would she want him to reveal her identity? To honor what she had done for Paris? Or would she prefer to remain a mystery, a sign of hope, immortal.

He didn't know! He didn't know what to do.

"Stop crying, Kitty."

He may have had a heart attack—he wasn't sure, nor did he mind the way his body spasmed at the sound of her voice.

Marinette was staring at him with one eye open, her hand taught around her Miraculous.

He looked down at her in awe.

She smiled.

And he pounced.

He threw his arms around her, thanking every God and Goddess in the book.

He cradled her in his arms, rocking her back and forth, until her incessant punching and complaining made him pull back.

Slowly, her palor was saturating, and the warmth was returning to her body.

"Chat…" she whispered, still faint, but alive.

"My Lady."

She teared up. "You came for me."

"Always," he said without a beat. "I'm sorry I didn't trust you."

She shook her head. "I'm sorry I pushed you away."

"No. I pushed myself away by denying how I felt about you."

Her eyes widened. "I thought you—"

There was a beep— leave it to his hungry kwami to ruin the moment—and she gripped his arm. "Your time…"

"I don't care."

"Chat."

"I know who you are, Princess. It's only fair."

She bit her lip, unsure, but she didn't protest.

He let the chirps continue, locked in eye contact, until a bright green light engulfed them, and he was boring old Adrien.

She stared for such a long time, he wasn't sure if she was frozen or not. Then she reddened. "Are you _serious_?!"

He grinned, laughing softly. "Disappointed?"

"Not at all! A little angry at you though. You teased me that whole time about liking Adrien! You…you were in my bed!"

"I'm sorry. But it's pretty ironic, you have to admit. It was like…a love quadrangle."

She sighed, rolling her eyes, but she was thrilled. He could tell.

When she was done ranting, she met his eyes and reached out. Her soft, loving fingers brushed a few stray tears away. "Were those tears for me, Kitty?"

He smiled gently, covering her hand with his. "Who else? You were dead for five minutes."

"Haaaahhh?" she yelled, bolting upright.

He caught her before she crashed again from dizziness.

"Oi…." she muttered, massaging her temple. "Dead? Are you being sarcastic?"

He ignored her, figuring he'd catch her up on the details later. "I need to take you home. Your parents are worried."

She shook her head and gestured to Wavelength. "Take her to the hospital. She was possessed for nearly a month, and then crushed by the ceiling. She needs medical attention."

"So do you."

"I can manage."

He rolled his eyes, but he knew there was no arguing with Ladybug.

* * *

OoO

* * *

The next night he found the door open, an invitation, and he never felt so happy in his life.

Marinette was sitting on her bed, drawing, and he almost didn't want to ruin the moment.

Her face was contorted with focus. Her tongue was sticking out.

She looked ridiculous. Adorable, obviously, but a goof all the same.

He cleared his throat, and she jumped, glaring at him for spooking her.

"How are you feeling?" he asked as he strode in, leaning against her wall to face her.

"Better. Nothing a little Ibuprofen can't handle. How's Laurel?"

"Hospital bound for a bit, but she's okay. No longer my stalker, if you're wondering." His eyes fell to her computer screen, where his face stared back at him. "Can I ask you something else?" he began, and she nodded, but she was less sure this time, sensing the change in his tone.

"Why were you so against us knowing each other's identities?"

Her smile dwindled, and she set down her sketchbook.

"I…there were a few reasons. For one, if we started hanging out as Adrien and Marinette, it would be more difficult to differentiate between ourselves and our alter egos, and it wouldn't take long for someone to connect the dots. But…I guess it was more that," she paused, looking away from him, "You admired Ladybug for her bravery and her charisma and grace, and those are all things I just don't have as Marinette."

Adrien opened his mouth, but she kept going.

"I…I liked that you trusted me. I didn't want you to know that I was a klutz, or see me as weak and girly. Basically I didn't want you to be disappointed."

"Marinette," he sighed. "I don't see you that way at all."

"But Ladybug is so much better. She's the person you fell in love with."

"You _are_ Ladybug," he laughed.

She blushed.

He stepped forward. "When you shut me out as Ladybug, I felt like I'd lost my other half. But when you locked me out of Marinette's life, it felt like my world had shattered."

She shook her head, a plea for him to stop, but he wouldn't.

"When you died, I wanted to die too, Marinette. It was the worst feeling in the world. I'd lost the two people most important to me," he closed his eyes. "I lost the two people I loved more than anything."

There was a full silence, a contemplative, heart wrenching silence.

"You still…love me?"

He closed the distance, standing at her bedside. "Isn't it obvious? I never stopped."

She breathed out, incredulous, and then she crawled out of her bed and walked past him to her dresser.

"Marinette…"

"No…I can't."

"What?"

She turned, her face pained. "Everything, it's…I thought I had this all figured out before….before _you_ happened." She shook her head. "We can't."

He attempted to mask the pain in his voice. "Why?"

"Because I'm Ladybug and you're Chat Noir and….oh God, why did it have to be you?"

"You _are_ disappointed," he said. He knew it, and it hurt more than he thought it would. "You wanted Adrien, not Chat."

"No!" she nearly yelled, startling him. "No it's not that I don't want you, Chat, it's that I do."

He blinked at her, caught between joy and confusion. "You aren't making sense."

She threw her hands in the air, dramatically, so much like the Marinettte he knew it made him stifle laughter. "When I didn't have Chat Noir in my life, I deteriorated. You saw me, how I broke once you cut me off…"

Adrien recalled the day she'd shown up in tears, the weeks of reclusive sadness, her locked balcony. That was all because of him? He didn't know how to feel anything other than _awful_ about that revelation.

"Chat," she continued, "I realized that you weren't just my partner or my friend."

He dared to hope. "I wasn't?"

"You were—are, so much more than that," she said gently.

Chat' s heart thumped loudly, and he crossed his arms. "Then how come we can't be together?"

"Because! How could it possibly work?" she cried. "There's so many complications. And it's more dangerous now. Hawk Moth could know my identity, and I mean, there's the paparazzi, and little forgetful details, and Alya and Nino, who are bound to notice…"

"Those are all lame reasons," he decided. "Tell me _why_."

He waited, and she swelled like a balloon ready to burst.

"If something happens!" she blurted finally.

He stared at her, more amused than anything. "Can you be a little more specific, Princess?"

She deflated, running her hand through her loose hair. "If something were to happen between us, how can we still be partners? How can we save Paris if our emotions get in the way?"

He caught on, and he refrained from rolling his eyes. "You mean if we break up, even though we aren't together yet?"

She put her hands on her hips, adding to the hilarity of the situation.

"You saw what happened this month. One stupid akuma came between us and we—"

"And we won. It all worked out in the end. We learned from our mistakes… _I_ learned from my mistakes," he mended.

She shook her head. "I'm scared, Chat. I don't want to lose you. You're my best friend. And I…I love you too much to risk it."

He approached her, and she let him. He touched her shoulders, sliding his hands down to hers, running his thumbs over her palms. "First of all, I'm _never_ going to hurt you again. I promise." She looked up at him, and her eyes were blurry with fear. "And if something did happen, if we broke up, then nothing changes. I'm always going to be here. I'm always your friend first, okay?"

She nodded slowly, her gaze never once leaving his.

"But you can't keep focusing on what _might_ happen. I'm bad luck so we're going to have problems— that's a given," that earned him a chuckle, and he relished the sound. "Plus we're practically partners for life, so you're stuck with me either way."

He squeezed her hands. "My Lady…focus on right now. Stop being selfless for once and let me love you."

She smiled slowly.

"I thought it was Princess."

"Hmmm," he raised his hands to her cheeks. "How about, My Love?"

"I suppose that works."

He leaned down, and she stood on her toes to meet him.

Right before his lips grazed hers, though, he pulled back.

"Do you want me to transform back first?" he asked timidly. She might have wanted to see his face, his eyes. If there was a quaver to his voice he hoped she hadn't noticed.

She looked at him strangely, then her mouth quirked upward. "Don't take this the wrong way, Adrien, but I think I'd prefer to kiss my Chat. For real this time."

He smiled at her, a real, toothy, feline smile.

Then he frowned. " _This time_?"

But she was already pulling him down to her, and soon she was kissing the rest of his thoughts away.

* * *

OoO

* * *

"Oh. My. Gods. Did you hear what happened?!" Alya practically screamed.

"Um…" Marinette said, feigning confusion.

"We've got video footage of Chat and Ladybug kissing! On the Eifel Tower! Isn't that romantic?"

Marinette shrugged, but her eyes flickered to Adrien, and he grinned at her _. I told you it would be romantic_ , his eyes said obnoxiously.

"Thank goodness they finally got rid of what's-her-face. She was sinking my ship!" Alya exclaimed.

"Your ship?" Nino asked.

Alya placed her hands on her hips. "Yeah. You know, when you pair two people together who would make a great couple, you ship them. LadyNoir."

"Ohhhh, just like you ship Adrien and Marinette," Nino responded, winking. Marinette raised her eyebrows. A week ago, she would have been red from head to toe.

"Exactly like that," Alya grinned, elbowing Marinette to gauge a reaction.

Adrien shook his head at his friend. "You know, it's funny you say that. I ship us too."

Now it was Marinette's turn to smile, as Alya and Nino malfunctioned. "Am I dreaming?" Alya whispered, confused.

"Now that you mention it," Marinette added. "I'm pretty sure we're canon."

Adrien smiled at her, his green eyes sparkling with a cat-like impishness, and she laughed.

"Wait, are you guys serious?!"

* * *

 **Ah, that's the end! Thanks for the support and reviews guys! We will get through this hiatus together!**

 **With love,**

 **gtgrandom**


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